Apathy in the local body elections should be a concern for all of us.To stop the apathy some say we should make it compulsory to vote like in Australia. Others say that it should be done like the general elections at the polling booth. Others, that text voting and electronic voting should be introduced, to entice the young and keep up with the times and voters work commitments. But compulsory voting would be unpopular need policing, taking up to much time and resources to do so. Text and electronic voting is not security save guaranteed. Psychical poll booth voting will work to a degree, but if half the voters don't feel the need to vote now. It will need to be made into an occasion, to entice the physic of the voter. I suggest that the local body elections be dedicated a special day with all the whistles and bells called polling day, and be held on Labour Monday every three years. So Labour weekend is still called Labour weekend but the holiday Monday every three years is set aside for polling day. This gives most voters two days before hand on the Labour weekend to decide, before they are reminded that the following Monday is set a side as a holiday for polling day and their right to vote. This would make it more of an event, an occasion that the whole country gets involved in every three years on Labour weekend.The other two years between elections Labour weekend stay the same with a holiday Monday for workers. The way voter apathy trends are going, if we don't try something soon, local bodies won't have the mandate to govern, not having a majority consensus of their voters. Just under half of all voters are now saying just that by not voting. They are also letting just over half of all eligible voters plan and decide their communities future costs rates and services like it or not.
Rusty Kane NZ
